This invention relates to bicycle carriers, particularly bicycle carriers for mounting bicycles or other lightweight two wheeled vehicle on the rear or even the front of an automobile or other four-wheeled vehicle.
There are numerous patents for apparatuses designed for mounting and carrying bicycles on automobiles. However, such bike racks and those currently on the market will work on one type of automobile or another but generally are not adaptable to all vehicles with four wheels as is the instant invention.
Some devices carry bicycles on top of a vehicle, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,893 by Cole. Top bicycle carriers are difficult to mount and dismount a bicycle and create substantial wind drag for the vehicle. Other carriers are designed for mounting bicycles or motorcycles on the front or back of the automobile, such as those contained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,464,608 by Rodriquez; 2,431,400 by Iverson; 3,670,935 by Hinkston; 3,275,206 by Croft; 4,322,337 by Kosecoff; 3,993,229 by Summers; and PCT W080/01895. However, for the most part these bicycle carriers are cumbersome and can neither be stored nor carried easily by the biker, are difficult to install, and cause damage to the vehicles.
Other attempts have been made to overcome the problems associated with the above referenced patented inventions, including U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,221 by Ballinger which employs cable-like cords to attach the bicycle to the vehicle. However, the Ballinger device does not hold the bicycle firmly in place away from the vehicle but rather allows it to rub against the vehicle bumper, thereby scratching and damaging the paint and bumper of the vehicle and the bicycle. Furthermore, since the bicycle wheels do not rest on the bumper the Ballinger device may not be used for carrying heavy bicycles or motorcycles because there is nothing firmly supporting the weight of the bicycle.
All of the above referenced problems are resolved by the instant invention in its various embodiments described hereinafter. The instant invention also provides numerous advantages over the prior art. It is economical by use of only straps and buckles contrary to most bicycle carriers which require several feet of metal tubing. Also the invention eliminates damage caused by rubbing or banging of the carrier or bicycle against the vehicle because a non-abrasive fabric protects the vehicle and straps hold the bicycle safely away from the vehicle. Moreover the instant invention is lightweight, collapsible and easy to carry since it consists of a set of straps without cumbersome metal frames. Thus, the device does not take up any space and can be stored easily in a knapsack, trunk, garage or basement. Even furthermore, the invention is easy to use because it can be carried by the bicyclist himself and used with any four wheel vehicle. Thus, a bicyclist away from home does not need to rely on the vehicle owner having a bicycle carrier stored in his trunk.
The instant invention is also self-supporting in that by holding the bicycle in compression, no external rack is needed.
Therefore, in manner briefly described above the instant invention provides numerous advantages not available in any of the prior art devices, among which are that it is economical, light weight, easy to use and store, self supporting, portable and eliminates the damage often caused by bicycle carriers currently available on the market.